Karnataka Anganwadi Worker Dies on Election Duty Amid Pressure

Rathnamma Baligara, a 43-year-old anganwadi worker and Booth Level Officer, died of a heart attack while on duty in Gadag district, Karnataka. She collapsed in Bagewadi village while performing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) tasks for the Election Commission of India. This tragic event has sparked immediate concerns among government employees regarding the excessive workload and high-stress environment associated with electoral enumeration duties.

The death follows a series of similar incidents involving frontline workers across the country. In July 2026, two other officials succumbed to heart attacks while on SIR duty in Karnataka's Shivamogga and Bidar districts. Earlier in April 2026, an investigation began in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, following the death of another anganwadi worker, while a suicide attempt by an official in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, last November highlighted the growing agitation against mandatory, high-pressure administrative assignments.

State employee unions are now demanding an inquiry into the working conditions imposed during the voter revision process. The repeated deaths have intensified calls for the Election Commission to review the burden placed on ground-level staff. Future developments will depend on whether authorities implement lighter workloads or provide better support mechanisms to prevent further health crises among Booth Level Officers during intense electoral cycles.